Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Chapter Ten of My Conclusive Summer

It had been a little over two weeks since Dalton was put in prison. At the persistency of my parents’ wishes, I took two and a half weeks off of work. They kept asking me if I was all right. Even though I kept telling them I was fine, they didn’t believe me.

I really was fine. I hadn’t been hurt and Dalton was locked up and his court date approaching. I was more than okay. People finally believed me about him.

My aunt and uncle always thought I was just a druggie who got knocked up and that it served me right, losing the baby. Though I hadn’t been thrilled about the pregnancy, losing that baby broke my heart in two. It was worse than all the things Dalton had ever done to me; to get me impregnated with that baby only to take it away by shoving me down the stairs in his high rage.

But none of that mattered anymore. I was done with him. I was finally free.

My parents weren’t speaking to my aunt and uncle. I knew that in time I would forgive them, and that my parents would begrudgingly follow my lead. But that day was far, far away from today.

Today I returned to work. I had never been so thrilled to see that dumb Walgreens building in all my life.

Kasey was my only friend who came to see me, being as though I was at her house the night of the event. But I kept everyone else away. I got calls, of course. They were mainly from Oliver. I never found out how he knew, but he just….knew. Kasey denied having told him, but I sort of knew it was her anyway.

We spent long hours on the phone, sometimes not saying anything at all. But ever time I couldn’t sleep, every time I woke up with a nightmare of that horrible night, I would call Oliver and he would talk me through it. I sobbed and spilled my heart only to him. It would kill my parents to know how terrified I’d been and I just couldn’t do it in person. There was something different about saying your fears over the phone.

So, while he wasn’t there in person, Oliver was the one who really got me through the first week. I was really anxious to see him today.

I held my breath as the automatic double doors opened, half expecting people to rush at me. I knew they wouldn’t, though. Anyone who knew me knew I hated the extra attention. It just made me feel weird, even if they did mean well.

"Oh, hey, Halle," Todd greeted. He was restocking beauty supplies.

I beamed at him. I suddenly loved Todd for his casual hello. "Hey, Todd. Why isn’t Kasey doing that?"

"She’s not here yet," he answered simply. But I could tell by his grin he was glad to see me in one piece.

"Lazy ass is gonna get fired one of these days," I muttered as I started walking away. "See ya, dude."

"See ya."

My heart hammered in my chest as I approached my photo booth. Oliver was sure to be restocking chips or sodas. He always made sure he was near my booth when I first came into work.

But as I rounded the corner, Oliver was nowhere to be seen. My heart plummeted. When I spoke to him the other night he said he wouldn’t dare miss my homecoming, so to speak.

I sighed. Maybe he was just late, like Kasey. I walked sulking behind my booth and dropped my purse under the counter. Technically you were supposed to put all personal items in the break room, but this was my small rebellion. I moved it whenever I left the counter, of course, to make sure nobody stole it.

Hands suddenly covered my eyes and a soft voice murmured in my ear, "Guess who?"

My heart pace kicked up and a great smile spread through my lips. "Hmm….I wonder…."